Whether you chalk it up to a long run of tough luck or go as far as to label them a "cursed franchise," the Minnesota Timberwolves have rarely had good fortune in the NBA draft lottery.

The Wolves have never improved on their draft position in 15 lottery appearances (does not include the 1999 draft when they owned the Nets' lottery pick as a result of the Stephon Marbury trade). Minnesota has fallen back in the order eight times. It has become an annual refrain.

Could this be the year the ping pong balls finally fall in the Wolves' favor?

Odds are that the Wolves will stay at No. 13 (96.02%). However, there is a nightmare scenario that could cause their draft plans to go awry. If Phoenix defies the 1.8% odds to leapfrog into the top-3 and the Wolves drop to No. 14, Minnesota would be forced to surrender its pick - a byproduct of the 2012 Wesley Johnson trade.

As you wait to see where the Wolves end up this year, take a look back at how the franchise has fared in the lottery.

-- It's the quintessential example of the Wolves' rough lottery luck. Coming off a league-worst 15 wins, Minnesota slid from the top slot to the third pick, which they used on Christian Laettner. The drop in position ended up costing the Wolves a chance to take Shaquille O'Neal (No. 1) and Alonzo Mourning (No. 2). Orlando scored the biggest upset in lottery history by winning the top pick despite a 1.52% chance.

-- The Wolves fell three spots - their biggest drop in the lottery. They drafted Isaiah Rider after Chris Webber, Shawn Bradley, Anfernee Hardaway and Jamal Mashburn were taken with the first four picks.

-- In the first year under the current lottery system, the Wolves dropped one spot to the fourth pick. With Glenn Robinson, Jason Kidd and Grant Hill off the board, Minnesota went on to select Donyell Marshall. Forty games into his rookie season, Marshall was traded to Golden State for Tom Gugliotta. Robinson (2), Kidd (10) and Hill (7) ended up making a combined 19 All-Star game appearances.

-- Turns out the Wolves were just fine falling to the fifth pick. They drafted Kevin Garnett. Garnett came after Anotonio McDyess, Jerry Stackhouse and Rasheed Wallace had gone with the three picks before him. Joe Smith, who became an NBA journeyman, went No. 1 overall.

-- In one of the deepest drafts in NBA history (Allen Iverson, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, etc.), Minnesota picked Ray Allen but traded him to Milwaukee for Stephon Marbury, who had been selected one pick earlier.

-- Portland entered the lottery with the same longshot odds as the Wolves, but the Trail Blazers emerged with the top pick. Minnesota selected Corey Brewer at No. 7.

Kevin Durant, the NBA's 2014 MVP, has turned out to be the standout of the 2007 draft. He was selected second overall behind Greg Oden. Al Horford, Mike Conley Jr. and Jeff Green went with the third, fourth and fifth picks.

-- For the fifth time in a row, the Wolves didn't move from their original seeding. It worked in their favor this time. Minnesota shipped the third pick, O.J. Mayo, to Memphis in a trade that brought in All-Star forward Kevin Love -- the fifth overall pick.

-- The Wolves ultimately got the fifth pick in a trade with the Wizards, going on to draft Ricky Rubio. One pick later, they took Jonny Flynn over Stephen Curry with their lottery selection. Blake Griffin was selected first overall by the Clippers.

-- The Wolves had their second-best lottery odds, but it still resulted in a two-spot drop. John Wall, Evan Turner and Derrick Favors were taken in the top-3. Minnesota went with Wesley Johnson at No. 4.